Examining Open Innovation in Science (OIS): what Open Innovation can and cannot offer the science of science
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Scholars across disciplines increasingly hear calls for more open and collaborative approaches to scientific research. The concept of Open Innovation in Science (OIS) provides a framework that integrates dispersed research efforts aiming to understand the antecedents, contingencies, and consequences of applying open and collaborative research practices. While the OIS framework has already been taken up by science of science scholars, its conceptual underpinnings require further specification. In this essay, we critically examine the OIS concept and bring to light two key aspects: 1) how OIS builds upon Open Innovation (OI) research by adopting its attention to boundary-crossing knowledge flows and by adapting other concepts developed and researched in OI to the science context, as exemplified by two OIS cases in the area of research funding; 2) how OIS conceptualises knowledge flows across boundaries. While OI typically focuses on well-defined organisational boundaries, we argue that blurry and even invisible boundaries between communities of practice may more strongly constrain flows of knowledge related to openness and collaboration in science. Given the uptake of this concept, this essay brings needed clarity to the meaning of OIS, which has no particular normative orientation towards a close coupling between science and industry. We end by outlining the essay’s contributions to OI and the science of science, as well as to science practitioners.
Date Issued
2023-07-03
Date Acceptance
2021-10-23
Citation
Innovation: Organization and Management, 2023, 25 (3), pp.221-235
ISSN
1447-9338
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Start Page
221
End Page
235
Journal / Book Title
Innovation: Organization and Management
Volume
25
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
License URL
Subjects
ABSORPTIVE-CAPACITY
boundaries
BOUNDARIES
boundary crossing
Business & Economics
EXPLORATION
KNOWLEDGE
knowledge flows
Management
Open Innovation
Open Innovation in Science
open science
ORGANIZATIONS
PERSPECTIVE
science of science
scientific research
Social Sciences
VALUE CAPTURE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-12-05